


How much trust is too much?

by itsafuckingmess



Series: dream smp headcanons [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Clay | Dream Being a Jerk (Video Blogging RPF), Emotional Manipulation, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Grayson | Purpled-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Guilt, Headcanon, How Do I Tag, Not Canon Compliant, Prison, Prisoner Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Sam | Awesamdude, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29560179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsafuckingmess/pseuds/itsafuckingmess
Summary: Purpled gets a job working as a guard for Dream's cell, having alternating shifts with Sam.Despite the countless warnings, he befriends Dream, who he mistakengly believes has changed and puts all his trust in him.|Or alternatively, Purpled puts all his trust in Dream and Dream takes advantage of it
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: dream smp headcanons [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185251
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	How much trust is too much?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [naznotfound](https://archiveofourown.org/users/naznotfound/gifts).



> hi hello  
> this is not canon, it hasnt happened. i had this idea from the moment it was announced purpled would be more involved in the lore (considering dreams past w manipulating minors yk)
> 
> (the slashes mean time passing between two events)

_" So," Sam turned around to face the other properly._  
 _"I heard you were looking for a job. Why?"_  
 _Purpled stifled his laugh at the obscenity of Sam’s question._  
 _" Well, I got bored doing nothing around here, so I thought I might as well get paid for what I do."_  
 _Sam raised his eyebrows in approval. He had to admit that for a kid, Purpled had good logic._  
  
" Pssst. Purpled. Can we talk a bit?" Dream begged, for maybe the 100th time today.  
" No, Dream. We cant. I'll get in trouble if we do."  
" Oh come onnn. I am so bored, I have nothing to do in here." Dream whined, grabbing the door's bars and clinging himself on them dramatically.  
  
Purpled sighed and closed his eyes. Sam explicitly told him not to give his trust in Dream, not to even speak to him since he could "manipulate" Purpled into doing something bad. Apparently the guy was a master at it or something.  
But Purpled felt horrible for not talking to the guy. He could imagine how horrible it must be, with almost no one visiting Dream, and Sam not even as much coughing near him.

  
" Should have thought of that before you got yourself in here." Sam said, walking in the room that Purpled was guarding.  
" Sam, I was not talking to you. Besides, it isn’t even your patrol."  
" I'm supervising. It's Purpled's first day, you think I’ll just leave him alone when you’re the one he's guarding." Sam laughed, walking closer to the cell.  
" You'll have to wait at least a few weeks for me to leave you with him alone." He informed Dream, walking back away from the cell, through the room and in the other one.

  
" So at least two more weeks of secret chit-chat between you two before you can openly manipulate Purpled in releasing you or some shit!" Sam declared.  
" Don't listen to him, Purpled. I have changed, I don't manipulate people. I used to, but prison changes people okay? You have to trust me on that one." Dream asserted.  
Purpled just sighed again, setting his sword on the stand next to him.

  
This was way more tiring than Purpled had imagined. His entire body ached from standing still, with armour on and holding his stance straight, copying Sam's stance when he was guarding. Not to mention it had only been two hours since he started.  
  
" Having second thoughts? Already?" Sam teased, seeing the other all tensed up.  
Purpled whined silently, prompting Sam to laugh.  
" I'm just pulling your leg, don't worry. Guarding duty is tough."  
Purpled just nodded, straightening himself up, aligning his back to the wall.  
" Couldn't you have it easier for me on the first day? Like, maybe _no netherite armour_?"  
Sam just chuckled.  
" I could've. But then you wouldn't want to get into armour at all. Trust me, I felt the same way."  
Purpled sighed for what must have been the 100th time today. It would for sure be a long training session.  
  


///////  
  
" Purpled! I'm running to Puffy's real quick. I'm sure I can trust you to stay alone with Dream. Should I not?"  
" No, you should! I'll be fine, don't worry."  
Sam walked in the room with a small smile on his face. Purpled was so eager to start being by himself, it reminded Sam of himself.  
" Alright then. See you in a bit." Sam said, putting a lighter armour on and leaving the prison entirely.  
  
" Hey." Dream chirped in.  
Purpled stayed still, not moving an inch.  
" Hey, come on now, I know you want to know why I'm in here and why you are guarding me~"  
" Shut up." Purpled snapped, his self control wearing off as time went on, desperate to know why he was guarding a prisoner.   
" Aw, you're hurting my feelings." Dream pouted.  
" And I don’t have many of those anymore." He continued, walking up to the door of the cell.  
Purpled rolled his eyes. Dream was dramatic, that's for sure.  
" At least introduce yourself properly. I never got to know anything about you besides your name, even though we fought together on Schlatt's side.  
" I fought with Schlatt cause of the pay. I was overly aware he had started to bring the city downhill with him, but man did he pay well."  
Purpled lowered the sword, it no longer stood proudly across his stomach ready for fight, rather now tip resting on the floor, supporting Purpled's weight.  
While he had gotten more used to the armour more, it still hurt his back about halfway in his shift.  
" Well, I'll start since you seem so reluctant to do so. I'm Dream, the previously glorious king of this hell-hole. I will admit, I did do multiple bad things, including murder, theft, child slaughter.."  
Dream went on to list his crimes, but Purpled's mind stuck to 'child slaughter'. Sure, he had heard of the manipulation and stuff, yet he couldn't help the way his stomach churned at the thought of Dream wilfully killing someone his age.

  
Then again, Dream did participate in multiple wars, apparently two before Purpled arrived in Manburg. 'So maybe it's from then' Purpled assured himself, zoning back in on what Dream was rambling about.  
  
" Well, I should probably not go in such an extent about it, you were there after all, right?"  
Purpled nodded, even if he didn't have a clue what he was supposed to be a part of.  
" Yea, 'doomsday' Tommy called it, and honestly I agree. It probably was like doomsday."  
Purpled nodded again, back straightening when he heard the heavy prison door open, the lanterns around him all shaking lightly.  
" I guess we don't have time to talk after all. I'll be waiting for you Purpled, when Sam starts leaving you alone for shifts.." Dream said, a menacing manner in his voice that Purpled thought he imagined.  
Sam' head peaked through the small archway, smiling at Purpled sweetly.  
Purpled smiled back, waving at the older and returning to his proper stance.  
  


/////////  
  
Purpled stood next to the iron door, putting on his armour before starting his shift properly.  
Sam peered in, seeing Purpled prepare for the next ten hours of guarding.  
" You got a new sword?" Sam pointed out, seeing Purpled's sword now glow with a puple-ish hue.  
  
" I enchanted my old one. Uh, fire aspect 1, smite 5 and unbreaking 3. Working on getting mending on this bad boy." Purpled commentated, chuckling at Sam's proud smile.  
" There couldn't be a better time for you to enchant it. Today is your first shift alone. I think it's finally time. I trust you, Purpled. I know you have good logic, I assume you act on it often."  
Purpled's smile shone proudly. Sam trusting him was a huge achievement.  
The older exited the prison, Purpled 100% on guard after hearing the heavy doors click together.  
  
" So, what about you, Purpled?" Dream asked, appearing out of sitting near the lava guarding his cell.  
" What do you want?"  
" Something about you! Why are you here working? How old are you? Have you committed any war crimes? Something!" Dream exasperated, hands over his eyes.  
" Well, I'm Purpled. I'm 16, yes, I have committed war crimes, at least I think so" he whispered that last part, trying to get off as more mature to the older.  
  
" Huh. That's interesting. Very, interesting." Dream said, walking back to where the bed was situated.  
Purpled was confused, before seeing the other grab a book from under his bed. Purpled's eyes furrowed seeing him approach the cell door, quill dipped in ink in one hand and the book in the other.  
" What are you doing?" Purpled asked, seeing the other sit on the floor, the foot of the very door keeping him inside that cell.  
" Writing. I like to note down important events that happened while I was in this cell." Dream kept writing, unbothered by the cold obsidian floor against his skin.  
" I'm-?"  
" Yes. You are an important event." Dream's smile sickly sweet.  
" And you are a personal achievement! Befriend a prison guard!" Dream's smile never faltering.  
Purpled was overtaken by two feelings. Pride and worry.  
Proud to be a friend of Dream, he imagined how terrible the loneliness must be in that cell. Worried nonetheless, Dream did not have a good past with friends, especially with the minors of the server.  
  
Purpled turned back to his post, occasionally glancing at the prisoner he was guarding, occasionally looking around in general.

  
He found himself particularly interested in the three hearts on his wrists.  
 _"Three lives. I am granting you the gift of dying twice without serious consequences." DreamXD turned over to Purpled, a metal rod in his hand._  
 _" After dying, you are given the choice of respawning, or in peculiar or obscene circumstances, not return. On your third life however, you get no choice."_  
 _He walked closer to the younger, looking down at him sternly._  
 _" Understood?"_  
 _Purpled nodded._  
 _" Alright then." The guardian sighed, grabbing Purpled's arm softly._  
 _" It's going to hurt a bit. Imagine it like, burning your tongue on a drink."_  
 _Before Purpled had the chance to even object, he felt hot metal against the inside of his wrist. It burned, quite badly._  
 _Yet with every drag of metal against his skin, he felt more alive. He was truly being given life, all through this "god" that gate keeps the server._  
  
  
Purpled looked down ay the three burn marks. He had seen them on other people. He had seen the one sitting on Tubbo’s neck, the boy on his last life. The two- now one- lives resting on the space under Quackity's ear. The one and only life sitting oh Philza's back, between two other lines that he had presumed were Phil's infamous wings.  
He thought the Protector was truly just messing around with his placements, either that or people had begged the guardian for a different placement.  
  
Nonetheless, Purpled was curious. The people that he knew had lost lives had assured him it didnt change anything. Assured him that after, it was just a memory.  
' A bad nightmare that etched itself in your head, that's what its like.' Tubbo had told him.

He hadn't lost any lives, frankly he was scared to. He never went on the action head first, he was aware he wasn't as skilled as some others who walked in fights like they were in a kindergarten yard, excited to shove some kids around and play hide and seek.  
  
He was snapped out of his trance by a particularly hard shove by who it presumed to be Sam.  
" Came to check on you. You alright?"  
Purpled nodded and sat up, back straightening and his arms stretching out, tired from staying limp.  
  


///////

  
The weeks passed quickly. Purpled was closing a month of unsupervised shifts, and he couldn't be happier.  
He had also managed to become closer to Dream, ignoring the advice of Puffy and Sam.  
Dream had proven to Purpled that he had changed. He still showed signs of having issues, especially around trust.  
Multiple times he managed to feel guilty by leaving Dream's side, leaving the cell to clock out.  
Multiple times he felt bad when he ignored Dream's pleas for just one small conversation.  
  
Sam had once almost caught Purpled inside Dream's cell. He had heard the chatting, but he hadn't heard the creaking of the iron door that Purpled hastily closed.  
He was understandably mad, lecturing Purpled about trusting a criminal, yada yada yada...  
  
Sam had stuck around the next shift, without making it obvious to Purpled. While the young boy was still on his toes, not entering the cell that time, he was still talking to the other.  
  
Sam had noted lots of mannerisms coming from Dream. Old mannerisms, ones that are not acceptable for a "changed person" to use.  
Sam was weary of Dream on his shifts, slowly though, the worry that Dream was manipulating Purpled into doing something bad like he first thought faded out, knowing that if Dream wanted to actually hurt Purpled, or escape, he would have already done it. So, he let himself relax, and he let the younger relax alongside him, yet still keeping him on his toes.  
  
//////

  
" Sam's going to be here in a bit."  
" We have time. Com' on, ask me whatever you want."  
" Dream I can't Sam almost found out we talk last time! I'll get in trouble!"  
Dream frowned.  
" How do you know Sam will be mad?"  
" Well, he'll be mad if he sees me in the cell with you! He has told me multiple times to not even talk to you!"  
" Damn it Purpled I thought you cared!"  
Purpled was confused at Dream's complaint  
" I do care-"  
" Then why do you not want to talk to me anymore?" Dream continued. " You let all the others brainwash you into thinking that I am still my past self! I've told you before that I'm not! Why do you have to pick at the one area that-"  
" Dream calm down."  
" Come talk to me then."  
Purpled hesitated.  
" I'll talk to you, but I can't enter the cell."  
" But I thought we were friends Purpled. I thought you trusted me."  
Purpled gulped, feeling even worse for Dream. He knew he was Dream's only company, no one else talked to him. But Sam and Puffy's voices telling him that Dream probably hasn't changed still were in his head, holding him back.  
" And there I was thinking you were different than all the others." Dream whispered, guilt tripping Purpled even more. That reaction alone cause Purpled to enter the cell.  
Dream instantly smirked.  
" I knew you weren't like the others."  
Purpled sat down on the floor next to Dream.  
" You shouldn't listen to them that much. We have been talking for so long. I think you are starting to differentiate who is right and who is wrong."  
  
" You said something about moving lives last time, before Sam almost caught us talking. What's up with that?" Purpled asked.  
" Well, it's a bit complicated to explain." Dream started. " You see, lets say I wanted to give you more lives. Which why wouldn't I, besides we're friends."  
Purpled nodded, rolling his eyes at Dream's comment.  
" I could go up to Sam right now, when you switch patrols, and take all 3 of his lives, and give them all to you."  
Purpled sighed  
" Maybe not Sam. He is like my father. I owe him everything."  
" You know he doesn't love you as much as I do.."  
Purpled sighed, heavier this time, slightly hurt. He didnt know why he believed Dreams every word so blindly. Some part of him thought Dream had no reason to lie now he's in prison. It's not like it would get him anywhere right?..  
Heavy doors opening caught both boys' attention.  
He'd never get the chance to ask Dream about this again, so he risked it. It was now or never.  
  
" And how do you do that?"  
Dream's lips turned into a smirk, his eyes darkening.  
" I'm glad you asked."  
In a quick second, Dream had Purpled's neck in his grip, hand over his mouth, grabbing the sword from its holster.  
Purpled was thrashing against Dream's grip, trying to free his neck, or his mouth, or himself in general from the other's grasp.  
Finally, the other's hand faltered, Purpled getting his chance.  
" SAM!" the yell echoed in the room, the obsidian walls barely allowing his voice to be heard.  
  
Sam had just finished locking the door again. He turned to see that Purpled wasn't standing guard as usual through the window of the entrance. Grabbing his sword, about to go in when he heard a barely audible yell.  
  
" SAM!"  
" Purpled?" he yelled back, waiting for some sort of response on the other's end.  
" SAM!" he heard, back, the yell muffling mid-way  
  
Dream's hand slid rights back up over Purpled's mouth, muffling his second yell.  
" Oh come one now. You trust me, don’t you? I promise this is for your own good."  
  
" Shit," Sam whispered, grabbing his own sword and going further in the prison, where Dream's cell was.  
  
He was surprised when the cell door was closed, but he saw the distinct purple of the other's hoodie, as well as the purple-ish hue of the enchanted netherite sword.  
Sam unlocked the door, being greeted by Dream, sword in hand, and in his grip Purpled's neck.  
  
" What the FUCK happened here?" anger was prominent in Sam's voice, that with concern about the younger's state.  
" Oh, hi Sam. I didn't actually expect you to be here...." Dream said, readjusting his grip on Purpled's sword.  
" What do you want from the kid, Dream?"  
Dream tusked, pursing his lips like he was thinking.  
" I don’t want anything from Purpled. I want it from you." He said, gaze never faltering.  
" It's no secret you know this place like the back of your hand. I was the one who instructed you to build it Sammy.."  
Sam gulped under his mask, eyeing Purpled from time to time, the teen desperately trying to be calm. Well, as calm as one with a hand around their neck and over their mouth can be.  
" So. Let me out of here. Lead me to the exit, the one I've seen you leave through all these times."  
Sam shook his head.  
" I'll take all of his lives I swear. And yours will be next."  
Sam gulped. He didnt know what to do. This insufferably cliché situation, where normally the villain would be let free to save the innocent one, had left Sam baffled.

  
" You aren’t leaving this prison. But we can come to a compromise."  
Dream chuckled, bringing the sword up to Purpled's neck despite the youngers protests.  
Purpled was for one, scared shitless and for two, worried about Sam.

  
" I DONT WANT NO STUPID COMPROMISE SAM!" Dream's yells echoed in the room.  
" My demands are clear, and so are the consequences."  
Purpled noticed the elder’s hesitance. It just so happened that Dream had, in his fury, let go of Purpled’s mouth.  
" Sam, let him. It’s fine, I’ll be fine-"  
" Purpled." Sam cut him off, an idea crossing his mind.  
" Yea?"  
" Didn't we talk about how your sword was really powerful? Like it could one-shot someone that had 6 hearts or less?"  
Purpled nodded, slowly processing the information Sam was trying to pass to him.  
The realisation set in, Purpled checking his health. He had managed to stay on 5 hearts the entire day, not having eaten at all to trigger the natural regeneration process.

  
" Better for me isn’t it. Easier to take both of you out since you don’t seem to come to terms." Dream said, seemingly clueless to Sam and Purpled’s plan.  
  
Purpled took in a deep breath, lunging himself on his sword. His health instantly went down 4 and a half hearts, the fire taking that last half, killing him.  
Dream seemed dumbfounded, the sword in hand, watching Sam smile wide and push Dream back in his cell.  
  


  
Purpled sat up instantly in where his bed was back at his house, taking fast, shallow breaths.  
Tubbo was right. It was like waking up from a nightmare.   
Speaking of Tubbo, he didnt expect him to be in his house with Ranboo, looking worried.  
" Purpled did you just die?" Tubbo asked, more surprised if anything.  
" Yeah, troubles with Dream in the vault."  
Tubbo looked at the other apologetically, his gaze naturally averting to the others wrist. Purpled was surprised, seeing his eyes widen.  
" What’s wrong?"  
" I didnt know you were one life, that’s all."  
It was Purpled’s to be surprised.  
" I’m not though," he checked his wrist, and in fact Tubbo was right. The once three burn marks had now lessened, a single heart sitting on the inside of his wrist.  
" What the fuck.." Purpled trailed, getting up from the bed.  
Tubbo and Ranboo both stopped him, guiding him to sit down again.  
When he looked at both with a questioning look, Ranboo spoke up.

  
" Maybe rest. I haven’t lost any lives myself, but something tells me that losing two isn’t any easy deal."  
" I have lost two lives, even if they weren’t one after the other. You need rest, its no easy task. We will talk with Sam, okay? You sleep, eat something, rest."  
Purpled nodded reluctantly, laying down.  
He didnt know why, but his eyes were tearing up. He felt stupid, putting all his trust in Dream and thinking he had truly changed.  
  
Now, he was here, laying on his bed, two lives down, one life away from death. Purpled wasn’t sure why, and he didnt know how he could admit it to himself, but he was scared. Purpled was scared, he was scared of dying, he was scared of trusting someone again.  
It sounded illogical to him, but it was the truth. Not to mention how scared he was to face Sam again. The older would definitely be disappointed, he will most certainly release Purpled from his post, something which Purpled wasn’t 100% against now.  
  
  
" Hand me the sword Dream. Its over." Sam walked in the cell, taking the sword the other reluctantly gave up.  
However, there was a smirk on Dreams face that didnt seem to wear off.  
" Why are you smiling? You just lost an ally."  
Dream started laughing, yet Sam couldn’t see what the funny part was.  
" Oh, Sam. You really think I’m a stupid fucking idiot, don’t you?"  
Sam furrowed his brows.  
" I won. I have won Sam, you know why? I bet you really want to know why."  
Sam watched intently as the other got up, stood next to the door and raised his shirt to reveal his lives.  
And Sam couldn’t believe his eyes. There, on Dreams scarred chest now were two hearts.

  
" Did you really think that I wanted to leave? Did you actually believe I want to leave the one place I'm safe in?"  
Dreams smile was scarily wide, causing Sam to step back.

  
" Everyone hates me Sam. No one is on my side, there is incoming danger and you think I actually wanted to leave? I just wanted security, I wanted to have a backup. Purpled might have taken one of his lives, but I took the other. And trust me, when this whole ordeal is over, I plan on using it accordingly..."


End file.
